Posts from Seasonings

Fries don't really come to mind when you think about eating healthy, but these are baked in the oven and served with a light yet creamy garlic dip. Plus, they're loaded with big flavor from a spice that's having a moment right now.

If you love hot peppers, spicy food, and stocking your fridge with new condiments, you should be cooking with sambal oelek. In short, think of it as the hot chile sauce that will make you forget all about Sriracha!

Q: I enjoy cooking with soy sauce at home, but I've noticed a lot of recipes call for several tablespoons to a 1/4 cup, which is a ton of sodium. How can I keep the great flavor, but not take in so much salt?

We've mentioned Didi Davis and her wide, clever array of flavored salts here on The Kitchn in the past. I'm currently obsessed with her vanilla salt, which is an interesting complement to sweet things — try it sprinkled over brownies or a chocolate glaze. But my favorite use for it is on popcorn, with a little coconut oil. Delicious.

Have you ever seen those plastic tubs of hot pepper paste in Korean or Asian markets and wondered what it was? It's gochujang, which is one of the backbone ingredients of Korean cooking. We love the kick and depth of flavor that it adds to everything we stir it into.

I'm afraid you're about to make your neighbors very jealous. They will smell this cooking as they walk up to, and then pass by, your door — forced to smell those aromas of garlic, chicken, and cumin, all without getting a single bite.

You, and only you, will get to come home from work, take a bowl from the cupboard, and proceed immediately to the table without even needing to turn on the stove. It's white chicken chili for dinner tonight, my friends! Inviting the neighbors is up to you.

If I had to choose one ingredient that reliably causes confusion in recipes, it would, strangely, be the simplest of all: salt. Kosher salt, coarse salt, sea salt — which one is best? Why do we use different sorts?

We've talked about these questions many times at The Kitchn, but today I wanted to show you the three types of salt I keep in my own kitchen — and why.

Thai massaman curry — also known as matsaman or mussaman curry — is a creamy, mildly spicy, nutty, slow-cooked curry heavily influenced by Indian, Malaysian, and Persian cuisines. It is not originally a native Thai curry, but it's been wonderfully assimilated into classic Thai cuisine. Massaman curry can be made with chicken, beef, or lamb, and it's an elegant dish to serve for weeknight meals or dinner parties alike. It can also be made ahead and reheated, which makes it perfect for quick dinners.

Miso soup always seems like such a perfect start to a sushi dinner. The briny broth wakes your stomach without weighing it down, warms you up, and primes you for the rice and fish meal to come. Making miso soup at home is actually quite easy and requires just a few ingredients. But which miso should you buy, and is there really a perfect one for making miso soup?